AN: Hey guys. Finally feel like typing out my ideas and stories instead of just thinking about them. So here is my first Pein/Konan. Very light. I am including other Akatsuki members, all the original ones except Orochimaru and Tobi. This is a oneshot only.

Edit: Some grammar and spelling mistakes fixed.

Legend

speech/and the rest

flashbacks/thoughts

Black Zetsu/emphasis (maybe)

I do not own anything.

Take my hand

A cerulean haired girl ran on the streets, a few apples and a small bottle of water enough for two people in her arms. She slipped suddenly on her robe, her provisions falling out of her arms. A few rich children passed her, laughing at the thin, poor blue-haired girl. A few even stopped to kick her, squishing a few apples in the process.

She looked in horror at her provisions. A small tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away gently as the wind whistled across the tattered streets of the Rain Country. The girl's sole home, if she could even call it that, was the cold, dirty streets of Amegakure. More childrens ran by, laughing and not bothering to avoid her, trampling all over her. War had left parentless and she had to do what she could to survive. Those apples and the water had been offered by a poor street woman, kind enough to share her little food with the blue-haired one.

A shadow loomed over her,suddenly. She shut her eyes, waiting for the worse. It didn't come. She looked up.

A young boy was standing over her. He had a slightly cleaner robe than her, and dark hair that fell over his face, in untidy, ruffled bangs. One side of his fringe fell over his eye but his face wasn't hidden. He had a kind, sad but smiling face and strange, but nice eyes. She slowly got up into a half kneeling position and quickly picked up the untouched apples and the water bottle. Looking into his eyes, she said slowly," W-w-hat do you want?" Her voice trembled with every word.

The boy smiled, closing his eyes gently as the wind whistled again. He slowly stretched out his hand.

"Please. Take my hand. Let me help you," as he said this, he grinned somewhat shyly. She accepted it, and picked up her provisions after. She smiled as she ran with him. Only a simple question tugged her mind.

"Hey! What's your name?" she called after him. He slowed slightly and called back, "It's Nagato! What's yours?"

She smiled, her first true smile in years," I'm Konan!"

She had met Yahiko. They lived as they could and cared for her. Jiraya-sensei taught them ninjutsu despite his teammates disagreements. He taught them to live on their own. But now, Yahiko was gone, and the old Nagato was also gone. Jiraya-sensei she prefered not to mention.Only pein remained. (AN: This is sort of a pun. Pein and pain so I made it Pein with non-capitalization.)

A failure.

That was what she was. Her God, would not be pleased. Konan stumbled,clutching her side as she headed toward the hideout. A hard battle had awaited her on her mission. A great number of skilled shinobi and some very skilled in the suiton and katon elements.

Her weakness.

God's angel. A failure.

The Angel of God. A failure.

She had gone on a mission to wipe out the key forces of Kumogakure who proved stronger and more in numbers than they thought. Yet, she had never failed him before.

She coughed up the blood; it trickled down her chin; it trickled everywhere. And yet she was suppose to be of paper. She groaned, trying to suppress the pain. She had bruises everywhere, a tattered sheet of paper she was. Her wounds and scratches were bleeding vigorously.

...Her thoughts were blank as she stumbled into the Akatsuki hideout. She coughed out more blood this time, and more violently.

Weakling.a voice inside her spoke.

She pushed it away as she entered.Konan leaned against the wall with her good arm. The other one had a bone-deep slash. One made by a sword.

(AN: When I say hideout, since this is a fanfiction, the Akatsuki has a proper hideout unlike the cave thingy, where they sleep and all that. I got the idea from a few other fanfics that use the same idea.)

The Akatsuki members were gathered eating dinner. One member was missing though. The orange-haired leader. All the eyes glanced at her. Her question was answered as Pein walked in. He stopped at the table, without sitting down. Konan panted heavily, her wounds throbbing with every breath. She was drenched from suiton jutsus. A puddle of blood began to form at her feet as she used the wall as a support.

"Konan-sama!" the red-haired puppet-human cried out. Deidara even stepped forward to help her as she collapsed onto her knees. Her arm lay limply at her side; a sharp pain as she realized her elbow had broken. Her good arm's elbow.

I wonder how long she can hold on.The blond artist pondered. He stepped forward a little as he was going to go help her but a hand stopped him.

"Leader-sama?" he questioned. No answer. Deidara let out a small sigh and retreated back to his spot beside his partner who was still standing. (AN: If anyone is wondering, Sasori reveals his true form in the hideout.)

Pein ignored him. He stepped forward until he was standing in front of her, the same as years ago when Nagato's shadow overlapped Konan. It could not happen again. Konan shut her eyes slowly, not daring to look into his eyes.

Pein stepped forward. Konan opened her eyes slowly. His hand was extended towards her and his gaze softened from frown to an almost-smile. She gasped a little but took it. She slid her hand gently into his as he pulled her up. He was patient as she stumbled up slowly. Still holding her hand, Pein placed a firm hold on her shoulder and forced her to look into his eyes.

"Pein...nande?"Konan asked softly. He didn't reply but grinned a little shyly and pulled her into a tight embrace. She was surprised, naturally as well as the rest of the Akatsuki members still near the table.

Konan let herself be engulfed by the warmth and closed her eyes, gripping Pein's clock firmly.

He let go after a while to find Deidara,Sasori, Zetsu, Kisame, Itachi, and even Hidan and Kakuzu grinning pretty wildly. You couldn't see it under Kakuzu's mask though and Zetsu's was somewhat a half-smile on his white side.

They all snapped back to normal frowns when Pein looked back at them. They didn't expect this but Pein smiled back.

"I'll help her."

After all, I must care for my Angel.

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(AN: Here's the aftermath. It's a oneshot so it has to be in the same chapter)

Pein gently placed a hand on Konan's hand. He had healed her and helped her with some bandaging. Of course he had left her to change but came back in shortly to see her. Of course, in their room.

Deidara called in to announce them to come to dinner as the rest had not finished yet. They all went together, Konan using Deidara and Pein as supports. Deidara had even attempted some ramen and it had tasted quite good.

"Deidara. Pein,"

They looked up.

"Thank you."

"Thank you, Nagato-kun."she whispered.

"I was worried, Konan."he replied.

The couple exchanged soft words in front of the moonlight.

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AN: ALRIGHT! That was my first one-shot okay? I hope it was alright. Sorry for the shortness. and sorry about the so frequent author's notes. I just wanted to make everything clear.
And also, if you see any mistakes or so, please point them out. Thanks.

Please review,
Kazuki